45.3% of children and young people meet physical activity guidelines of 60 minutes per day across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Can you help shape sport and physical activity for young people?

What is the Active Lives Survey?

We want all children and young people regardless of their age, background and ability level to be able to take part in and enjoy sport and physical activity.

The Sport England Active Lives Survey run by Sport England provides really useful information for anyone working with children aged 5-16 key to help understand children’s attitudes and behaviours around sport and activity.  This makes a real difference to understanding and investments in sport and physical activity locally and nationally. 

The survey is supported nationally by the Department for Education, the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.  Locally the survey is endorsed by the Local Authority PE Advisor, School Games Organisers, Public Health and Healthy Schools.

In Cambridge and Peterborough...

• 43.4% of our county’s children and young people (years 1-11) are currently meeting the recommended level of activity (taking part in sport and physical activity for an average of 60 minutes or more a day)
• 30.2% (years 1-11) still do less than the average of 30 minutes a day and 26.4% are not active enough to benefit their health
  27.7% of children (years 5-11) volunteer in some capacity to support sport and physical activity

How does the survey work?

• Each term schools are randomly selected by Sport England to take part in the Active Lives survey. Those schools will be contacted by Living Sport.
• Alternatively schools can volunteer to take part by contacting Living Sport (incentives for these schools are slightly different).
• Schools take part in the simple online survey in their classes with one class in up to 3 different year groups at a point of their choosing during that term.  The survey takes less than 20 minutes to complete.
• For the youngest pupils, parents are also asked to fill in a survey about their child’s physical activity behaviours (additional incentives of £10 ESPO credits per parental survey are available to schools). 
• 1 teacher also needs to complete a survey which takes around 10 minutes.
• Each participating school will be provided with everything it needs including templates for letters to parents, information sheets for teachers and students and technical guidance from Living Sport.

A summary of the process is here and key documents can be found here.

What are the benefits to schools?

• Each school that takes part is given a bespoke report summarising its own results from the survey (if at least 30 students complete the questionnaire). This report covers measures of children’s activity levels, physical literacy, swimming proficiency, wellbeing, self-efficacy and levels of social trust.
• Participation in The Active Lives Survey provides access to The Healthy Schools Rating Scheme which comprises of an on-line teacher survey, this is based on four key areas of assessment: Food Education, School Food Standards, Physical Education and Active Travel. The responses given are calculated to determine a rating – bronze, silver, gold.
• Completion of the combined Active Lives Survey and Healthy Schools Rating Scheme can be cross referenced to the nutrition and physical activity standards for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Healthy Schools Award. This can help accelerate the school’s progress to achieving Healthy Schools status and being granted use of the local authority Healthy Schools logo. A plaque is also awarded in acknowledgement of the achievement and provides good evidence of the schools commitment to Health Education.
• Schools can also choose sports or well-being equipment and resources worth at least £100 to thank them for their participation.

The following schools have been selected for 2021/2022 and will be contacted at the start of the relevant term.  We are especially keen that more Peterborough, Cambridge and Fenland schools take part this term to ensure data reflects the whole county. 

Cambridge Colville Primary School  Kings Hedges Primary School  Cherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School  University of Cambridge Primary School  Chesterton Community College  St Bede's Inter-Church School  Sancton Wood School  The Stephen Perse Foundation  Arbury Primary School  The Spinney Primary School  Queen Emma Primary School  Parkside Community College  Trumpington Community College  St Faith's School  The Perse School  Fawcett Primary School St Alban's Catholic Primary School	Fenland                       Ramnoth Junior School  Elm Road Primary School  Westwood Primary School  Cromwell Community College  Neale-Wade Academy  Benwick Primary School  Burrowmoor Primary School  Kingsfield Primary School  Thomas Clarkson Academy  Cavalry Primary School Glebelands Primary Academy
Peterborough All Saints' CofE (Aided) Primary School  Fulbridge Academy  West Town Primary Academy  Ken Stimpson Community School  Arthur Mellows Village College  Nene Park Academy  Hampton College  Heritage Park Primary School  Lime Academy Abbotsmede  Woodston Primary School  St John Fisher Catholic High School  Thomas Deacon Academy  Stanground Academy  Jack Hunt School  Ormiston Bushfield Academy Hampton Gardens Secondary School	Huntingdonshire Spaldwick Community Primary School  St Helen's Primary School  Bushmead Primary School  St Peter's School  Hinchingbrooke School  Ernulf Academy  Alconbury CofE Primary School  Huntingdon Primary School  Godmanchester Community Academy  Hartford Junior School  Longsands Academy  St Ivo Academy
East Cambridgeshire Littleport & East Cambs Academy  Ely St Mary's CofE Junior School  The Weatheralls Primary School  Bottisham Community Primary School Witchford Village College  Ely College  Fordham CofE Primary School  Kennett Primary School  Millfield Primary School  Soham Village College  Bottisham Village College  King's Ely  The Rackham Church of England Primary School Stretham Community Primary School	South Cambridgeshire                       The Vine Inter-Church Primary School  Gamlingay Village Primary  Milton Church of England Primary School  Comberton Village College  Sawston Village College  Cottenham Village College  Melbourn Village College  Impington Village College  Caldecote Primary School  Cottenham Primary School  Barton CofE VA Primary School  Swavesey Village College  Bassingbourn Village College  Cambourne Village College  William Westley Church of England VC Primary School Monkfield Park Primary School

Living Sport play a key role and act as the main point of contact for schools regarding the Active Lives Survey. For more information please contact Anna O'Leary on [email protected] or 07921 831878.